Well... I've been away for some while now.  I'm sorry, but I wasn't feeling so great after receiving a couple of not so nice comments from another member.

/Cacao said: save it for my space/

Really, that hurt.  The picture commented on is a good picture.  The theme, well, it's my cat.  That's why it's in the PERSONAL gallery.  No nice comment, no critique... just an implied 'your work sucks, get it off the site'.

/Kona said:

dude... seriously...

 you made some pretty crap comments on some of my work...

 for example, you said 'save it for my space'. really?  IT IS IN THE PERSONAL folder, and there's nothing wrong with the photo quality...

you are seriously the first person I've met on this site that put's down other's work... why?  are you that cruel, or are you just so insecure with your own art that you must do it to make yourself feel better...

if you don't have anything nice to say... or at least a critique... please keep it to yourself.

Kona/

I have a right not to be put down.  If someone doesn't like my work, fine; it's art, they aren't required to like it.  Rather than putting s#itty comments though, people should be giving CRITIQUES!!!  Critiques are meant to help with improvement, rather than damaging an artists worth, or helping you feel better about your own.

When will people learn?  When will it stop being tolerated altogether?

EDIT: more added...

/Cacao said:

You should deal in reality, this web site is open to everyone and many people have joined. I think that it is important to dialog on the site and stimulate discussions now I critiqued your work because I felt that all of your pictures did not belong hear and that you and other people who take pictures of a dog or a cat eating food or licking himself or whatever else along with family pictures should keep those pictures within friends or family (MY SPACE) and not post it in a professional Artist web site. It degrades the quality of the work on here I personally along with others would rather see people who challenge them selves and their minds to create. Well as to “don’t say nothing if you don’t have nothing nice to say” waaah!! Lets call the wahbulance oh no! Hey you’re on the internet people tell you what they think and I will leave my comments as I reserve the right to do, If you had anything that was admirable I would have said so.

I don’t know if you’re a challenged handicapped person if so please accept my sincere apology.

In other words your work posted here does not back up that fancy Bio or the work of an honor student at least not one with an ART MAJOR!/

I've responded... but really... I don't feel like putting up with thist s#it.  I do because I know I'm better than that... it'll take more than that to move me.

Strive to be a truer artist.  Leave REAL comments.  Tell someone you like a piece if you like a piece... Tell someone WHY you don't if you don't.

And again... this site has a PERSONAL gallery.  If they were not accepting of PERSONAL pieces, they would not have said gallery.'

/Kona said:

first, that wasn't a critique... that was a comment...

second... if the site was not wanting 'personal' photographs, it wouldn't have a 'personal' gallery... if youy want to reg on somebody about misplaced 'personal' images... look for all the people who have unprofessional pet photos that AREN'T in the PERSONAL gallery

what i meant with the don't say anything... it's mostly refering to the fact that your comment was a simple, rude comment... you call YOURSELF an artist and then refuse to act like one... a real artist would comment on pieces that they believe are WORTH commenting on.. and critique those that the artist feels he or she can critique PROPERLY

also... i know the stuff i had here doesn't back up my skills... the avatars I had posted... the cartoons... were posted for the owners to collect, and not really for any other reason.  the photos... well.. photography is not my specialty, and at no point will I say that I am better than the average person... but  there was some stuff that I liked, and thought was good, so I posted it... looking back, I no longer like most of the pieces, and have therefore removed them... I have better works, but I no longer own them... most I have no way of documenting properly, and until I can do so, I don't want to degrade the quality of my work.

I never asked you to like my work... I don't expect you to, but if you're not going to critique my errors and my weaknesses then really, I don't care to hear it.../

that said... thank you to Tainted for taking notice, and giving me a little support in this situation